Umbrella construction



Nov. 19, 1929.

c. G. sNooK 1,736,177

UMBRELLA CONSTRUCTI ON Filed Sept. 16, 1926 www 919k @Mommy PatentedNov. 19, 1929 .UNITED STATESl PATENT OFFICE CLARENCE G. SNOOK, OF TROY,OHIO, ASSIGNOB TO THE TROY SUNSHDE COMIPANY, OF TROY, OHIO, .ACORPORATION F OHIO UMBRELLA CONSTRUCTION vApplication tiled September16, 1926. Serial No. 185,813.

This invention relates. toumbrella constructions, and in particular tothe so-called garden umbrella constructions. 1 t i One of the principalobJects of thls mven- 5 tion is to rovide an umbrella construction whichis simple, sturdy to withstand wind pressure, and readil adapted fordiierent uses, such as for gar en or terrace use, or for displaypurposes.

Other objects and advantages of the 1nven tion will be apparent from thefollowing delecription when taken in connection wlth the accompanyingdrawing.

In the drawing in which like characters 16 of reference designate likeparts throughout the several views thereof,

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of an umbrella constructioncompletely assembled; Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical elevation of 20 aground screw construction with an umbrella positioned therein, certainparts being 1n section to illustrate the construction thereof; Fig. 3 isa fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2 of a modification; and Fig. 4 is anelevation illustrating the mounting of the umbrellaof Fig. 3 for displaypurposes such as in a store wlndow.v

u In umbrellas of this type as heretofore constructed, it has been theusual practice to su 80 port the lower end of the umbrella handle ysuitable means and in such a manner that the lower end of the handle was'sup orted considerably below ground level.' This was usuallyaccomplished by an earth engaging member or ground screw having a longbore therein adapted to receive aportion of the umbrella handle, thelower end of the handle being thus supported about six inches to a footor more below ground level. Con- 40 sequently it was necessary to makethe umbrella handle very long so that when in'this position the umbrellaor sunshade would be disposed at the proper height above the ground.,When it was desired to arrange such umbrella constructions for displaypurposes such as in store windows, or to use same as terrace umbrellas,where the lower end of the umbrella handle customarily rested upon thefloor, the handle was then too lon and the 0 umbrella was disposed at aheight a ove that at which it would normally be dis sed in actual use.This of course was un esirable, as the most attractive display issecured by pos1t1on1ng the umbrella at the height of actual use. Inorder to overcome this objection, 1t has been necessary heretofore formanufacturers to provide two types of handles for each such umbrellaconstruction, one handle bemg the usual long handle for actual gardenuse, and the other handle being a shorter handle adapted for displaypurposes.

Th1s invention overcomes the objection noted above by providing anumbrella construction in which one handle may be used for-both displaypurposes or for actual use, and in which the umbrella in either case is,'dis osed at the proper height.

s illustratin a preferred embodiment of the invention, t ere is shown inFig. 1 an umbrella construction completely l assembled. This umbrellaconstruction comprises an umbrella handle 10 carrying an umbrella orsunshade 11, the sunshade 11 being supported from the handle 10 b atilting Hevice (not shown) which may lie of usual and wellknownconstruction to aiford a plurality of tilting angles for the sunshade11. The umbrella is associated with a table indicated generally at 12,Athe handle 10 of the umbrella passing'through a receiving hole in thetable top113 and through a second hole in the table shelf 14, these twoholes being properly aligned to support the handle in a substantiallyvertical position. The lower end of the handle is supported by an earthengaging or round screw construction indicated genera y at 16. Thisearth engaging construction is adapted to be positioned within theground 17 tori'gidly and securely support the lower end of the umbrellahandle 10, thus forming a sturdy umbrella construction adapted towithstand considerable wind pressure so that the umbrella constructioncan be used out of doors, such as for garden use.

The ground screw construction 16 is illustrated in detail in Fig. 2. Asshown this comprises a hollow elongated earth engagin member or screwmember 19 having a pointe end 20 provided with spiral threads 21 tofacilitateinsertion into the ground. Associ- 100 `length of the boreated with this screw member 19 is a plate or flange member 23 having alarge surface area adapted torest upon the ground to prevent `theumbrella construction from tipping or -ond bore 32 of lesser diameter isformed in the lower part of the screw member 19 to thus lighten andcheapen the constructlon, the bores30 and 32 being connected by asurface 33 which thus forms a shoulder adapted to engage the lower end34 of the umbrella handle 10. As shown the bore 30 1s made somewhatlarger than the diameterof the handle 10, the upper end of the screwmember 19 being provided with an inwardly extending flange 36 having anopening therethrough of a size adapted to somewhat snugly recelve thehandle 10 to thereby prevent wobbling of the umbrella handle w ensupported within the bore 30.

As thus shown, the screw member 19 is adapted when in position to have aportion thereof protruding above the ground. The 30 is Such as tosupport the lower end of the handle 10 substantially at round level.Thus the handle 1() of the umrella is also adapted for display purposes,as when this handle rests upon the floor of a display window, theumbrella is then in substantially the same position as it occupies whenin actual use, and is thus in its most attractive position. And thishandle also adapts the umbrella for use as a terrace umbrella whereinthe umbrella handle may extend through suitable openings in the top andthe shelf o a.

terrace table with its lower end resting directl on the ground, theterrace table being usually of such weight as to prevent upsetting ofthe table and umbrella due to wind pressure upon the umbrella.

In Fig. 3 there is shown a slight modification of the ground screwconstruction. Thisl construction is substantially the same as that shownin Fi .2 with the exception that the shoulder 133 etween the bores 13()and 132 is raised somewhat the lower end 34 of the handle 10 bein thussupported slightly above ground leve Of course the construction can bemade such that the lower end of the handle is supported at exactlyground level. This obviously is not essential, as a slight discrepancyof the order of an inch or two either below or above the ground levelsuch as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 respectively'is not suflicient to alterthe appearance or effect of the umbrella construction when on display orin use. It is only necessary that the lower end of the umbrella handlebe disposed at substantially ground level, and the expressionsubstantially ound level as used herein means suffcient y close toground level so that the difference in appearance or eiect when theumbrella is on display and when the same is in actual use is notappreciable or noticeable.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary illustration of the mountin of the umbrella ofFig. 3 on display suc as in a store window. The umbrella handle 10 couldbe positioned with its end 34 directly upon the floor 40 of the storewindow, and the discrepancy between the position of the sunshade ondisplay and its position in actual use would not be noticeable and wouldbe insuiiicient to aiect its attractive appearance. However, if desireda small block 41 conforming in shape to the shape of the handle could bepositioned between the lower end 34 of thevhandle 10 and the floor 40 tothereby support the han- While the invention disclosed herein is Yparticularly described in connection with umbrella constructions oftheso-called garden type, it is to be understood that the invention is Ialso applicable to umbrella constructions of the so-called terrace orterrace table type, in which heretofore the lower end of the handle hascustomarily been supported in a groove or notch formed in a shelf of theterrace table. The ground screw construction illustrated herein can beprovided to support the lower end of the terrace umbrella handle atsubstantially ground leveltothereby replace the supporting meansormedvin the table shelf or the umbrella handle may rest directly uponthe ground or hard floor. In this manner umbrellas may b e provided withhandles of a single length suitable for either gsitrden or so-calledterrace use, or for disp ay.

While the forms of apparatus herein described constitute preferredembodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the inventionis not limited to these precise forms of apparatus, and that changes maybe made therein without departing from the scope of the invention whichis defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An earth engaging construction for supporting the handle of anumbrella comprising an earth-engaging member, a platfadapted to restupon the ground having a1 opening therethrough for receiving saidearth-engaging member, said plate and said member having cooperatingengaging surfaces thereon adapted to limit the downward movement of saidearth-engaging member, said member having a bore therein adapted toreceive a portion of said handle, a constriction in said bore adapted tocontact with the lower end of said handle, said engaging surfaces ofsaid plate and said member lying in a plane adjacent the plane of theconstriction in said bore, whereby the lower end of said handle isadapted to be supported at substantially ground level.

2. A ground screw construction for supporting the handle of an umbrellacomprising a hollow earth-engaging member having a pointedscrew-threaded end to facilitate positioning in the ground, said memberhaving a bore therein at its upper end adapted to receive a portion ofsaid handle to support the same, a second bore therein of reduceddiameter below said first-named bore, the surface connecting said boresforming a shoulder adapted to engage the lower end of said handle, andmeans for limiting the downward movement of said earth-engaging memberinto the ground, said parts being so constructed that when said memberis in position in the ground said shoulder is at substantially groundlevel to thereby support the lower end of said handle at substantiallyground level.

3. For use with an umbrella of the character described adapted to besupported at a predetermined distance above the ground, a supportingmember adapted to be inserted within thel ground and having provisionsfor receiving the lower end of the handle of the umbrella in supportingrelation, and means for limiting the depth of insertion of saidsupporting member within the ground to thereby support the lower end ofsaid handle at substantially ground level.

4. For use with an umbrella of the character described adapted to besupported at a predetermined distanceabove the ground, an earth-engagingmember adapted to be inserted Within the ground and having a boretherein for receiving the lower end of the handle of said umbrella insupporting relation, means for limiting the depth of insertion of saidhandle Within said earth-engaging member, and means for limiting thedepth of insertion of said earth-engaging member within theground,whereby when said handle and said earth-engaging member areinserted to their respective limiting means, the lower end of saidhandle is supported at substantially ground level.

In testimony whereof I hereto aix my signature.

CLARENCE G. SNOOK.

